Liiiight-bulb!!!! (I'm a big Dispicable Me fan, don't judge.;))
If you haven't seen our antho, Defy The Dark yet, I am SO excited about it!!! It has a ton of incredible stories from amazingly talented authors, and BONUS, we have our own website.:D (LOOKLOOK!) I am really proud of my story in this antho (Nature) because . . . well . . . I don't write short stories. They're hard!! If you think they're easier because they're short, you're wrong; they're actually harder because they're short! You have to get an entire plot-arc into less than 8,000 words. So yeah, I don't do short stories.
So why did I?
Because if Saundra calls up and asks me for anything other than my first-born child, I'm pretty much gonna say yes. (And even then, I would be willing to send her for a visit!:D) So when Saundra asked, I said yes. But I warned her: I could give her a short story, but I had no guarantees that it would be good. She took a chance on me. I spent months thinking about (being terrified of) this short story and one day I woke up with the barest hint of an idea. An idea about a girl who's enitre life-plan was derailed, because puberty gave her hips one inch too big.
Stay with me here.
Being a hippy woman myself (yaaaaayyyyy junk in the trunk!!!) this bizarre idea stayed with me and turned into a dystopian (which I swore I'd never write) short story. And the first line is:
"In the end, it's because of my hips."
Not only did it turn out okay, the editor at Harper met me at a party and specifically mentioned how much she liked my contribution. Cue melting into a puddle.
Because ya'all, this story scared me. I wanted to give my fab friend something good, but I honestly wasn't sure I could. But one way or another, I did! Now, I'm not out signing up for every antho I can get into now--truth is I'm still not convinced I didn't just have one flukey short story idea. But it was something I was afraid of, and I did it anyway, and people liked it! And have a great deal of pride about that.:D
So you can get your hands on the whole collection of incredible stories!!!! This is a week-long contest in which you can win the DEFY THE DARK prize package (pictured below!! Book bookmark, bracelets . . . But only one book. ;))
Plus my personal addition of an ARC of Earthbound and a hardcover of Life After Theft!!!
What do you have to do? Tell me something you're afraid of. Easy.
You can comment on Facebook or Blogger, reblog with a comment on Tumblr, or use @Aprilynnepike on Twitter. They are all legit forms of entry.:) I will pick a winner next Monday and you will get your stuffs as fast as I can get to the post office!!!
So, *pulls chair closer* What are YOU afraid of. Hmmmmm??
Ciao!
Posts
77 comments:
Being forgotten
Heights
I am afraid of being alone in the dark and I am terrified of clowns. Ugh
I'm deathly afraid of public humiliation. Which may seem stupid to some, but whatever, it's one of my major fears...aside from bugs.
I may have a snake and a lizard for pets, but I am absolutely terrified of spiders. Especially the huge ones like tarantulas.
Just one thing?? I'm terrified of scorpions. And I swear they are haunting me now. (Gotta love country living.) I'm not a big fan of clowns, they creep my out. And I don't like the dark. I sleep with my tv on so there's light. Seriously, I'm a wimp. :P
My biggest fear is drowning. I had a hard time learning how to swim.
Spiders
I think I'm most afraid of not getting anywhere in life. I have a goal career and ideas I want to put in place and I'm afraid of working my hardest but not being able to achieve these things and ending up who knows where.
Losing my dogs
I'm no fan of spiders (or any creepy crawly thing, really) but my all time biggest fear is: trying.
I'm afraid to try and fail. And I'm afraid to try and succeed. I'm afraid that if I try the same things all the time, I'll stagnate. And I'm afraid to try new things because I might not like them.
So I spend a lot of time with my nerves in a bunch because there are things I want to do but I'm just as afraid to do them as I am to not do them!
This is going to sounds weird, but I am most afraid of the future. I keep telling myself to love in the present. Sheesh. And, also, spiders. Big-time. :)
Thank you for the giveaway!
I am afraid of missing my kids. Hokey. I know.
Submarines and Spaceships (thank you U-571 and Apollo 13)
I'm afraid of giving speeches and standing up to people.
I'm afraid of dolls, they're just so creepy.
Spiders *shudders*
Fire. Specifically the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire more than a century ago...
I already did this on twitter...but here it is again: I'm afraid of spiders and getting sick and other health issues. Lemme know who wins!
I live in Southern Alberta which just got hit by severe flooding. I watched water come by my home and flood our parking lot and the building at the end. I had bags packed ready to evacuate if needed. What do you take, what do you try to save? Our building turned out ok, but I have a lot of friends who can't say the same. So what I am afraid of - right now I can honestly say major flooding.
This is easy: the death of a loved one. Hands down! I hate the loss of the people I love...
I'm afraid of having people discover my greatest fear haha. In all seriousness, I do get really scared showing people stories I write.
I'm afraid of disappointing others, being alone, and forgotten.
I am petrified of needles! My mother convinced me to get the hpv prevention shot before I went to college. I had a severe panic attack and they would not let me leave the doctor's office until I calmed down. A more mental fear I have is that my best friend will no longer be my best friend when I move to Montana next year after I get married
Hello Aprilynne! Well this is exciting. (: I've never won an ARC before but let's give this one a shot!
I am afraid of losing myself in sadness or depression. A lot of people speak of having those "moments" or "those days" when they have a good cry or just feel extra sad about anything, everything. Every time that happens to me I am terrified. It occurrs randomly; it saps the ME of me!
Hopefully this most makes sense. ;D Thanks so much for reading!
- RA
I am afraid of losing loved ones and afraid of being viewed as a failure.
I am afraid of failing.
I despise bugs, they are so creepy!! I was bitten by a tic when I was little, I almost got lyme disease. I got antibiotics, though, and was fine. Still, really scared of them!
I am afraid of drops on roller coasters. I love going fast and upside down but I am terrified of drops straight down! I am also afraid of haunted houses and refuse to go in them but love watching scary movies.
Definitely of something happening to one of my children. Constant anxiety.
I'm afraid of losing my children too. I feel like I had no idea what fear really was before I had kids.
I'm afraid of authors killing all my favorite characters (don't you dare), clowns and public humiliation. :)
I'm scared that I'm wasting my life away. All I ever do is read and I don't have the slightest idea what I want to do when I grow up. I'm also afraid of my reflection in the mirror because let's face it, I look horrible.
I'm afraid of my children getting injured or seriously ill. :( I just try not to think about it.
--Amy in Atlanta
I'm afraid of walking out of my house to go somewhere with two different shoes on. Like, one foot has a flip-flop, the other has a sandal. It's a scary thought! D:
Thank you!
I'm terrified of my house/apartment burning down. Because of this I often have to turn around in the morning half-way to the bus stop and unplug the toaster and I cannot leave a crockpot cooking with no one home.
I'm afraid I will give up before I know if I can.
I'm afraid of doing anything outside my comfort zone, and everything that can go wrong if I do.
Thanks for the giveaway! :)
Spiders. One fell on me today while I was sitting in the car waiting for my mom, and I freaked while it was on me, then I freaked out after it was dead, and spent the drive home brushing myself off and looking around for more spiders. Ohmygoodness, I'm freaking myself out right now, just talking about it.
I am afraid of the dark, because of what might be in it. And I'm afraid of dying, to disappear into nothing.
Squirrels, they are always jumping out at me from the feed bins in the garage.
I am afraid spiders. Speaking in public frightening. I'm afraid of failing, and wasting my life.
Clowns! Seriously.
I'm afraid of not doing anything worthwhile in my lifetime: of not making a difference to someone's life.
I'm afraid of many things but roaches and people are probably highest on the list.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I'm totally afraid of clowns!
I am totally afraid of snakes, but I am more afraid of something happening to one of my kids.
I am afraid of failure. Oh, and mice.
Being bit by a snake. I actually like snakes but I have fear that being bit by a snake would be really painful. Where I live, we get monster Bull snakes and even some Rattlers so coming across snakes in the summer is normal.
I'd get over it if I was bit by a snake but until then, I get think that it would be super painful. It's probably not.
The dark. I sleep with a nightlight and get a panic attack if I'm in the dark alone.
Also yellow-things that fly. Bees, wasps, you name it. Also panic-shaking with those.
And falling into water while being in a car with my family.
What I'm not afraid of: public speaking. What I am afraid of: being at parties where I don't know a lot of people.
Wow. I'm a freak! The list goes on, but I'll stop at that.
One of the things I'm really afraid of is dying alone. :(
I am crazy afraid of being forgotten after I die.
Thanks for the giveaway! And I loved Life After Theft! Sera and Jeff are sooo cute together! <3
I'm afraid of heights!
Achieving all my goals / being successful. I've neglected a few personal aspects of my life in favor of my 'work'. I wonder if it'll all have been worth it or I'm missing out.
I'm afraid of failing and not knowing what is going to happen in the future.
I know it's kind of dorky, but for as long as I can remember I've been afraid of witches. I still have trouble watching The wizard of OZ!
I am afraid of comming out of my comfort zone, taking big steps that has to do with my future.
SPIDERS. I have nightmares about them, like Ron.
Spiders. It's a near-terminal affliction.
Spiders and fire. Both are pretty hard core freezing up types.
I'm afraid of everything. Spiders. Bushfires. Zombie apocalypse. People not liking me (for eleven billion different and sometimes conflicting reasons).
My big fear at the moment, though, is that my last few jobs were a fluke, and no-one will ever think that I'm good enough to employ ever again. (I've been out of work for a few months, and it's beginning to freak me out.)
Ducks (for some reason they freak me out) and rats.
One of my fears is spiders. I'm also afraid of public speaking, yet I still joined MUN, even though it requires A LOT of public speaking...
I've always been afraid of spiders - not fun when you're a kid and wake up one morning with a spider in your bed! Nowadays, it's more under control but I still freak out a little when I see a spider and I wish I could avoid them altogether but it's nearly impossible, so I live with it.
I most afraid of something terrible happening to the people I love the most. I am also afraid of failing at the things I put the most effort into. I also have a really silly fear of the dark and I even sleep with a cute little night light on that my husband makes fun of.
I'm scared of many things! I'm scared of being humiliated, some insects, drowning, among others!!! Thanks for the giveaway <3
Honestly, the thought of inadequacy (though completely irrational, because obviously I can't be perfect with everything) had always terrified me! I hate the thought of trying my hardest at something and still falling short!
I am afraid of killer creepy clowns coming out of my closet in the middle of the night and telling me they just want to be friends when in reality I don't want a killer creepy clown as a friend but I wouldn't want to be mean so I'd be his friend.
I'm afraid of what happens when my eyes close for the simple fact that you are asleep ,and have no control which leads to being defenseless which terrifies me. I know the old saying says what is in the daylight is the same as what is in the dark. I can't help but also be afraid of the unknown when everything in your life is a susprise which is amazing at times but the not knowing if something is going to happen that is bad it's somehow hard to face but from what I've learned you've got to be strong ,and pray for the best. I'm afraid of a lot of things in life but being uncertain of the life ahead of you not knowing what's going to be your future terrifies me.
I'm scared of losing my family. I know we're all going to die someday, but I'm still really scared of it. I also am scare of losing my reputation and being judged though I'm getting over those!
I am afraid of heights & clowns !!!
I am afraid of getting old and ending up alone and forgotten.
I'm afraid of buttons and butterflies...yea..I know its kinda pathetic...
Dropping things from heights. Not falling, dropping things. I can't go on a bridge or a ledge without clutching at any loose item in my possession.
Of course, this weirdness morphed into being afraid of dropping my nephew (when he was an infant) at Target. So I refused to hold him whenever we were at that store.
You have to love weird, residual fears.
I'm afraid of the truth sometimes, the difference between that and a lie is that it can't be changed
finger crossed :)
Demons and/or jinn. I'm not an avid horror film (and book) fan, but I'm not averse to a good scare either. But I'm both intrigued and repelled by demons. In my culture and religious foundation, I didn't grow up learnign about demons but their close equivalent: jinn. It creeped me out that we were taught from childhood that jinn were EVERYWHERE. They lived in a parallel universe similar to ours, and they were very much like humans in terms of organizing their societies (i.e. they got married, had kids, got jobs, some of them were as great and good as saints and others were just downright rotten, and they lived and died). Only they looked nothing like human, and the real mean ones haunt/possess humans. Real freaky stuff, right? Hearing and seeing things others don't ala Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. Only it's more like the scene in the "Exorcism of Emily Rose" where Emily is in one of her college classes and she turns around to see the faces of her classmates melt into demonic visages. A very powerful scene that captures my fear perfectly. (At least it does it more justice than my ramblings.)
And the more I think about it, the more it sounds like someone suffering schizophrenia or some other mental disorder...
Anyways, good luck to everyone.
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